Ms. Makda threw the hood of her jacket over her head, too lazy to reach into her backpack and pull out her black umbrella. For this morning was already off to a bad start, as she was running ten minutes and had a 10:45 Philosophy exam.
She attempts to remove her iPhone from her pocket and untangle her earphones, as she power-walked uphill on 96th street. As she struggles, she feels a familiar push upon her shoulder– throwing her off balance and sending her back to the summer of 2014 while tumbling to the concrete.  She tastes the saltiness in the Jones Beach air, grips the sand beneath her feet, and has no care in the world other than avoiding skin cancer at all costs. That was the last time she was truly carefree.
She stumbles to find her balance and words to express her nostalgia, as the familiar face of Wendy Wallace lends her a helping hand. She takes the train with Wendy, engaging in small talk that neither of them truly wanted to have, making empty gestures, and acting as if they were really still invested in each others’ lives. Although Amber is flattered by Wendy’s concern for her family’s well-being, she would much rather have sat on the train alone and studied for her exam. She has grown tired of the superficial nature of these types of conversations, and eagerly anticipates her stop’s arrival.  The train finally reaches the 23rd St station, and Amber darts off the train as fast as the elderly woman in front and her own legs allow her. Nothing like meaningless conversations and a rushed morning to start the week off right!